Adult-Use (Recreational) Marijuana

On November 8, 2016, California voters approved Proposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA). AUMA created a statewide regulatory and licensing system for adult-use marijuana businesses. On June 27, 2017, Governor Jerry Brown signed into law the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA), which merged regulations for medical and adult-use cannabis into a single regulatory framework. MAUCRSA grants local governments the ability to regulate and/or prohibit commercial marijuana activity within their jurisdictions.

On November 14, 2017, the Long Beach City Council voted to request the City Manager to work with affected City Departments to develop recommendations to legalize and regulate commercial adult-use (recreational) marijuana businesses in Long Beach. The City Attorney will report back to City Council with a draft ordinance to allow, license, and regulate the retail sale, cultivation, manufacture, distribution, and laboratory testing of adult-use marijuana in Long Beach by June 2018.

Temporary Moratorium on Adult-Use Marijuana Businesses

Effective December 19, 2017, a temporary ban is in effect for the next 180 days, prohibiting the operation of any commercial adult-use marijuana activities in Long Beach. The City Council did not authorize commercial adult-use marijuana businesses to operate in Long Beach.